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S. Korea expects Iranian nuclear deal to affect N. Korea

July 9, 2015

Top level officials from around the world shake hands Lausanne, Switzerland, Thursday, April 2, 2015, after Iran nuclear program talks finished with extended sessions. (AP Photo/Brendan Smialowski, Pool)

SEOUL, July 9 (Yonhap) — South Korea expressed hope Thursday for a final deal between Iran and six global powers on Tehran’s nuclear program, saying it could positively affect efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.

“A peaceful resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue is expected to bring regional peace and the strengthening of the global nonproliferation regime,” Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Noh Kwang-il said at a press briefing.

Based on a framework agreement made in April, the U.S.-led P5+1 group, including Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany, is in the final stages of talks with Iran.

An agreement, if struck, will also send a positive message with regards to stalled nuclear talks with Pyongyang, he added, although the two cases are quite different in terms of the level of related technology, the character of the regimes and external conditions.

“It would be meaningful in that it shows that progress in a nuclear issue is possible through international pressure and negotiation efforts by relevant parties,” said Noh.

The six-way talks on the North’s nuclear program were last held in 2008, also involving South Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.

Noh also expected Iran to promote economic cooperation with other countries if a nuclear agreement is reached and sanctions are lifted.